Newsletter

Memorial Health unveils injury research, prevention institute

Memorial University Medical Center officials today announced creation of a program to reduce injury and violence through research education and outreach.

The M. Gage Ochsner MD Institute for Injury Research and Prevention will seek ways to reduce the impact of injury and violence with a goal ofreducing trauma injuries within two to three years.

And Maggie Gill, president and CEO of Memorial Health, announced a campaign to cover the $1 million in start-up costs, adding that half of that has already been covered through gifts to the Memorial Health Foundation.The remainder will be made with donations to the foundation, she said.

The new institute is expected to be up and running by the middle of 2013, officials said.

The institute is the vision of Ochsner, chief of trauma services and surgical critical care at Memorial, who said the program “will have a single focus, that is to reduce trauma- related death and suffering in our region through research, education and outreach efforts.”

Memorial is the region’s only Level One trauma center and last year treated 2,700 traumatic injuries.

“It can happen at any time, Gill told a group gathered at Memorial’s Heart & Vascular Institute lobby for the announcement. “But what if we could reduce the number of injuries?” she asked.

Hospital officials want to pursue a “proactive approach” to reducing those numbers, she said

Based on trauma center volume, Ochsner said Memorial will admit 250-320 patients, of which 18-20 will probably die, between now and the end of the year.

He said trauma gives no warning and impacts regardless of age.

“If we can save just one life, our efforts will be worthwhile,” he said.